Russian Inspectors Pleased with Vietnam Seafood Quality

Russian food safety inspectors have shown satisfaction at Vietnamese fish processors’ efforts to improve hygiene and safety standards, making it easier for local firms to send shipments to Russia.

 

The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance highly evaluated Vietnam’s seafood industry after completing a ten-day inspection at 19 processors in the Mekong Delta, said Nguyen Tu Cuong, head of the National Fisheries Quality Assurance and Veterinary Directorate Department (Nafiqaved).

 

Cuong said that Russian inspectors highly appreciated fisheries breeding procedures, water treatment in fisheries ponds and the high quality control procedures of Ben Tre province’s aquatic farming.

 

“The inspectors are basically satisfied about local fishery hygiene and safety quality control, recognizing that Vietnam has strictly responded to their warning in May this year,” he said.

 

Cuong noted that Nafiquaved and the Russian agency would sign a deal soon to pave the way for Vietnamese seafood products to return to Russia, particularly for catfish.

 

The Russian Government banned seafood products from many foreign countries since April 25 this year, including Vietnam, citing shipments from the countries failed to meet Russia’s hygiene quality standards.

 

Prior to the ban, Vietnam’s seafood processors were highly successful in penetrating Russian seafood market, as shipments there increased by 16 times in the past three years.

 

Exports to Russia accounted for 11.2 per cent of Vietnam’s total seafood exports, generating total revenue of USUS$661 million.

 

However, due to Russia’s import ban, Vietnam’s seafood products sent to Russia in the first five months of this year increased by only 2 per cent compared to the same period of last year. (Saigon Times Daily)